Epilepsy Clinic

UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland provides one of the Bay Area’s most comprehensive treatment centers for the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric epilepsy. The team of experts employed at our nationally-recognized Epilepsy Clinic regularly collaborate with our Neurosurgery Department to evaluate and manage the care of children with epilepsy, whether that means adopting a ketogenic diet treatment for intractable epilepsy or turning to one of the many advanced surgical interventions available for kids today.

Why Families Choose Us

Nationally Recognized Expertise

The Neurology Department at Children’s Hospital Oakland sees more than 400 patients with epilepsy each year, making us one of the most experienced epilepsy treatment centers in Northern California.

Our physicians with epilepsy expertise treat not only chronic conditions, but are deeply involved in scientific research to better understand and treat childhood epilepsy.

Specialized Team Care and Parent Involvement

The epilepsy team at Children’s Hospital Oakland works closely with parents to customize ketogenic diets for patients who don't respond to medication. These diets have successfully managed to control epilepsy for hundreds of children since their inception.

Pediatric epilepsy surgeries are coordinated by the Children’s Hospital Oakland team of neurologists, neuropsychologists, nurses, play therapists, and neurosurgeons, each of whom possess specialized knowledge of, and training in, childhood epilepsy.

Personalized Care and Expert Advice

Patients have direct access to physicians in the Epilepsy Department, who are available to return phone calls and answer emails. Care and information is delivered by specialty-trained physicians who are on call nights and weekends.

Diagnostic Testing, Surgical Intervention, and More

Children’s Hospital Oakland integrates the latest in diagnostic testing and intervention to allow specialists to determine if an electroencephalogram, MRI, CT scan, or other procedure is best for your child’s unique case. We may also adopt the use of an intraoperative CT, ultrasound, and/or neuroendoscope for minimally invasive, state-of-the-art brain surgery.

For children with seizures that can't be controlled by medications alone, a range of surgical options, including focal brain resection, disconnection operations, and vagal nerve stimulation can be used to control seizures—and sometimes even eliminate them completely.